Deepest Fear
by unendinG tearS
Summary: I'm not telling you what it's about, because it gives away the surprising information. I write this more Aurora Lynn Rose's challenge. :hem: Pg for a reason, although I don't think it's that bad. Nothing graphic is in there, but better safe than sorry. r/


Deepest Fear   
  
  
"As you all know, boggarts show you your deepest fear." Professer Basilicum said loudly.   
  
Hermione sat in Defense Against the Dark Arts, paying close attention to the professer, who was   
giving a review on boggarts. "Tomorrow will be a practical lesson! We will be fighting a boggart   
of our own, to see how close attention you all paid me today. You do not need your text-books."   
announced Professer Basilicum as the bell rang. Harry and Ron walked from the room,   
Hermione trailing behind them. Harry noticed this, and began to walk even with her. "What's wrong,   
Herm?" he inquired, looking at her somewhat sad face. She looked up quickly, as if her mind had   
been elsewhere, and half smiled. "What? Oh, nothing's wrong." Ron looked at her queerly, frowning.   
"Are you sure? You seem a bit odd." Hermione nodded impatiently. "Yes, Ron, I am fine!" With that,   
she strode off to Gryffindor Tower, totally ignoring the Great Hall brimming with students ready   
to eat lunch. Harry walked in and sat at the Gryffindor table with Ron. "I'm worried about her   
Ron, she seems so sad all of a sudden." Ron nodded in agreement. "We'll talk to her later." They   
proceeded to eat lunch. Meanwhile, Hermione was on her bed, sobbing silently. She was scared out   
of her mind - what if her secret was revealed? What if she was made to face the boggart? Things   
had changed since she had faced one as McGonagall in her third year, and she knew that her   
deepest fear was something entirely different now. She drew her knees up to her chin and rested   
her head on them, tears slowly dripping down her cheeks.   
  
The next day, Hermione walked down the hall with Harry and Ron, following Basilicum to the Great   
Hall, where a boggart had lodged itself in a large cupboard. She watched her classmates fight   
with the boggart, watching it turn into many things, from a banshee to a rat to Professer Snape.   
When it was almost her turn, fear overcame her, and she ran from the hall, tears streaming down   
her face. The entire class stared, teacher included. Peeves bounced around lauging at the crying   
Hermione. Harry raised his hand, hoping to be allowed to go after her, but was ignored. They   
finished the class and Ron and Harry rushed up to Gryffindor Tower, but Hermione was no where to   
be seen. She came down the stairs into the common room about a half an hour later, where the two   
boys still sat, waiting for her anxiously. When they saw her, the rushed to her. "Hermione   
what's the matter?" "Why did you leave class before? Why were you crying?" "You can tell us   
Herm!" "You look as if you could use with a cheering charm."They led her over to a couch,   
worried. She swallowed, and began to speak. "I'm ok guys, really. I-I..I just couldn't let   
anyone see what I'm afraid of, thats all." The guys were totally unconvinced, but they didn't   
force her to tell them anything. "Ok, Herm." They smiled comfortingly, and she went to go to her   
homework.   
  
About a week later, Hermione got into a squabble with Malfoy. It ended with McGonagall yelling   
"FREEZE!" at Malfoy, and Hermione laying on the floor after being shoved hard, her robes askew,   
revealing several dark purply black bruises on her shoulder and neck. Harry noticed them   
immediatly, and became rather suspicious, especially since Hermione got up extremly fast, as if   
she didn't want anyone to see the bruises. Ron, being the dense clodhopper that he is, didn't   
notice the bruises. Later that night, when everyone else had gone to bed, and only Hermione and   
Harry remained in the common room, Harry looked at Hermione. "Herm, can I ask you something?"   
Hermione nodded and went over to sit next to him. "What is it, Harry?" "What are thoses bruises   
on your neck from?" Hermione looked shocked and scared, and tears welled up in her eyes. They   
began to course down her face and she buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Harry   
hugged her, holding her until her tears stopped enough to talk. "Tell me Herm, please. You can   
trust me you know." Hermione nodded, her face red and tearstained, ready to cry any minute.   
When she began to speak, her voice was barely a whisper. "My father..h-he-he.." She trailed off,   
sobbing again, hard. Harry looked shocked and angry, and he wrapped his arms around her,   
hugging her tightly and whispering in her ear. "Oh Herm..don't cry anymore. We'll get you   
somewhere safe. Maybe..maybe you can stay with the Weaslys, or even here at Hogwarts..I'll take   
care of it, I promise you. It's not too late to go see McGonagall..it's only 9:00. She'll still   
be in her office. She can help, I bet." Hermione pulled back, still sobbing, even though she   
tried to stop, and nodded. She went upstairs quickly to wash her face, and when she came back,   
her face was still rather red and tearstained, but it was better than before. Harry put his arm   
around her protectively, and lead her to McGonagall's office. As Harry had said she would be,   
she was still awake and in her office. "What are you two doing here so la-" She broke off when   
she saw Hermione's tearstained face. "Miss Granger, whatever is the matter!" Hermione's only   
reaspone was to begin to sob again, silently, burying her face in Harry's shoulder. Harry kept   
his arm around her, and looked McGonagall in the eye. "Professer...Hermione's father..he..he,   
well, he beats her.." At that, Hermione began to sob harder. McGonagall's hand flew to her   
mouth in shock. "No!" Harry nodded sadly and nudged Hermione gently. "Hermione..show her the   
bruises on your neck." Hermione reluctantly moved the shoulder of her robes to one side, showing   
quite a few deep purply bruises, tears still streaming down her face. After showing them to her,   
Harry and Hermione both sat down, as McGonagall had done in shock. "Something will be done about   
your father, Miss Granger. For now, though, Mr. Potter, please go to the hospital wing with Miss   
Granger." Harry nodded and stood, as did Hermione. Harry put his arm around her again, and they   
walked up to the hospital wing.   
  
Madame Pomfrey was not happy at being woken at such an hour, but was more agreeable within 5   
minutes. She asked Harry to go sit in her office while she got rid of the bruises. He complied,   
and Madame Pomfrey put up the screens around Hermione's bed. She had to heal many bruises all   
over Hermione's body. She then told Hermione to change and walked into her office to speak with   
Harry. "Would you stay with Miss Granger? I think she needs the company of someone she knows and   
trusts right now." Harry nodded. "Of course. I would have if you didn't ask me to." Harry went   
over by Hermione's bed, Madame Pomfrey following, removing the screens, and going back into her   
office. Hermione lie in the bed, no longer crying, but her face still red, and she looked ready   
to begin crying again. Harry, ignoring the chair beside her bed, sat on her bed, wrapping her   
in a hug, just holding her. She began to cry again, softly. "What did I do wrong, Harry?" She   
whimpered those words against his chest, and he shook his head. "You did nothing wrong! Don't   
ever think this was your fault, Herm, because it was not your fault. Your father has done   
something horrid, and he chose the person who deserved it the least, the smartest, prettiest,   
nicest girl I've ever met." Harry whispered those words to her, still holding her as she cried.   
She kept on crying, and she hugged him back. He stroked her hair comfortingly as he spoke to   
her. "It'll be all right Herm, you'll see. And just remember, I'll always be here for you,   
because you are one of my best friends, and I love you." 


End file.
